"What wouldst thou have?" said the genie. "I am ready to obey thee as
thy slave, and the slave of all those that have that ring on their
finger; both I and the other slaves of the ring."
Aladdin, agreeably surprised at an offer of help so little expected,
replied, "Genie, show me where the palace I caused to be built now
stands, or transport it back where it first stood."
"Your command," answered the genie, "is not wholly in my power; I am
only the slave of the ring, and not of the lamp."
"I command thee, then," replied Aladdin, "by the power of the ring, to
transport me to the spot where my palace stands, in what part of the
world soever it may be."
These words were no sooner out of his mouth than the genie transported
him into Africa, to the midst of a large plain, where his palace
stood at no great distance from a city, and, placing him exactly under
the window of the princess's apartment, left him.
Now it so happened that shortly after Aladdin had been transported by
the slave of the ring to the neighborhood of his palace, that one of
the attendants of the Princess Buddir al Buddoor, looking through the
window, perceived him and instantly told her mistress. The princess,
who could not believe the joyful tidings, hastened herself to the
window, and seeing Aladdin, immediately opened it. The noise of
opening the window made Aladdin turn his head that way, and perceiving
the princess, he saluted her with an air that expressed his joy.
"To lose no time," said she to him, "I have sent to have the private
door opened for you; enter, and come up."
The private door, which was just under the princess's apartment, was
soon opened, and Aladdin was conducted up into the chamber. It is
impossible to express the joy of both at seeing each other, after so
cruel a separation. After embracing and shedding tears of joy, they
sat down, and Aladdin said, "I beg of you, princess, to tell me what
is become of an old lamp which stood upon a shelf in my robing
chamber."
"Alas!" answered the princess, "I was afraid our misfortune might be
owing to that lamp; and what grieves me most is that I have been the
cause of it. I was foolish enough to exchange the old lamp for a new
one, and the next morning I found myself in this unknown country,
which I am told is Africa."
"Princess," said Aladdin, interrupting her, "you have explained all
by telling me we are in Africa. I desire you only to tell me if you
know where the old lamp now is."
"The African magician carries it carefully wrapped up in his bosom,"
said the princess; "and this I can assure you, because he pulled it
out before me, and showed it to me in triumph."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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